Thursday 11 September 2014

Food with Thought: No 1 … South African ...


Food with Thought ... will be a new series when I perhaps mention some food that is brought to mind, after I have attended an event with a speaker, or when we have a meal included at the speaking event.
c/o Trip Advisor: Langham Hotel,
with bathing cart and pier in distance


Eastbourne seems to be full of these things … garnering happy customers and building those essential relationships for their businesses that we as bloggers, authors, musicians, artists et al know about …
  


Now who could keep me away from a South African lunch with wine?  The “Pudding and Wine Club Luncheon” at the Langham Hotel, which hosts variety of events, this one concentrating on South Africa with a speaker, representing Boschendal wines.



England is having the most incredible Indian Summer at the moment … we are still in short sleeves and flip-flops or something tidier!  Sitting outside the hotel looking out over the sea, promenaders were all around …



We met up, sat outside in the ‘boiling sun’ (what luxury in September) with an orange juice … til I realised our mistake!  Realised when we took our grumbling tummies in for lunch …



… we’d missed out on the “Boschendal Sparkling Brut” – what was I thinking? … I quickly rectified that … it was delicious!  54% Chardonnay, 46% Pinot Noir.



Cue in the clues:  Clean citrus fruit with discreet undertones of biscotti and brioche with creamy mouth feel and a lingering finish.  Well I’m just glad my mouth was untarnished with biscotti and brioche bits! *****+++ stars for me!


Boschendal (Dutch for wood and dale), Cecil Rhodes’ bought this his first commercial fruit estate in 1887, before being sold in the 1960s to Anglo American, the mining giant, but which is now owned by a consortium of investors.


Blanc de Noir Boschendal wine was the wine we often chose … and when my father’s elder brother, who had married a South African, visited the Cape I would fly down and we would frequent their old haunts from the 1920s and 30s … Boschendal being one of them.


Happy memories all round … but back to Eastbourne!  Remember we are known as the retirement town – sad really ... but there’s lots of vibrancy around with interesting goings on … so some of the recipes are toned down a little … as there’s no choice, but guests’ palates are important!!


 
Forgot about the
photo - there be loin
under the sauce!
Food .. I need food!  How about some “Springbok loin with slithers of courgettes and goat’s cheese – it was good … being called “Springbok Tataki” for any food lovers wishing to know more …




South African game is wonderful – thankfully the Springbok can easily be supported on farms with very low rainfall, and is one of the few antelope species considered to have an expanding population.


This was accompanied by a “Franschoek Pinotage” – pinotage being a red wine grape that is South Africa’s signature variety: it’s a cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsaut ***** for us!


Cue in the clues:  Hot baking fruits with a sweet juicy mouth feel and integrated French Oak softening the finish


We had brief talks from the Boschendal expert giving us some background to South African wine growing … and from the chef – a young chap who had come down from the cut and thrust of London … I reckon we’re lucky …


I just enjoyed the colourful artistic
branding ... nothing to do with the post!

The chef had selected Springbok loin … interestingly I have a newspaper cutting on Cape of Good Food from March this year … and as described South Africa’s most inventive chef, Luke Dale Roberts thinks Springbok is one of the best meats.  I wonder if he got his idea here …



Once the menu had been decided … then the wine expert could work his magic … hence the red wine with the game starter … 


But it was good!
Next we had “Butter Fish with coconut cream and yellow rice” (gamey South African fish)   … the chef apologised he’d somewhat overdone the turmeric in the traditional Cape Malay yellow rice …




The term ‘Cape Malay’ springs from the Indonesian slaves who over time intermarried with other groups … and who have a particular identity in South Africa. 


While 'Malay' may have originated from the Malayo-Portuguese language that was the lingua franca in Asian ports.  (South Africa began to be settled by the Dutch in the mid 1600s … but Bartholomew Diaz, the Portuguese explorer had rounded the Cape in 1488).


To cheer ourselves up even more … the “Franschoek Chenin Blanc” matched up to the ***** level!


Cue in cluesA delicious medium dry white, full of fresh tropical fruit flavours” …


In South Africa the Chenin Blanc is also known as Steen … but may well have been one of the first vine varieties to be grown in South Africa by Jan van Riebeeck in 1655, or via the Huguenots fleeing France in 1685.


Wine expert now … the vintage we tried for the Chenin Blanc was only bottled this last Spring (here) Autumn in South Africa … so we had a 2014 vintage … (we were only served hotel quality wines ... not available via retailers)


The South African Chenin Blanc is slightly fuller with a higher alcohol content …


Cape Dutch home with vineyards
Vineyards will not process grapes under five years old, and they will carry on producing for at least another 30 years thereafter … as the vine gets older the grapes are richer and fuller in flavour …



… the vines, if they are top quality, could produce for another 30 years after (sixty years of production) … there will be fewer fruits … but the wine will be quality.


We were also encouraged to join in the quiz … simple – but not easy to win!!  Neither of us won a bottle … one table had three winners … something fishy going on?  No I don’t think so … it was very much guess work … we failed!


Add caption

Hungry again?  How about an Amarula Mousse Tart with Cape Gooseberry coulis?



Background to Amarula … the elephants were renowned for getting drunk at fruit falling time … rushing to their favourite tree … leaning and thumping the tree to release their fruits and then guzzling them all up … what happens the fruits ferment and we have drunk elephants … I’ve never seen a drunk elephant!


Those clever elephants led those cleverer humans to their tree … and now the Amarula Spirit lives on: the actual alcoholic beverage was launched in 1983 … its taste is a fruity caramel …

The label ... 


The distiller has made elephants its symbol for the drink, and supports the elephant conservation effort: co-funding the Amarula Elephant Research Programme at the University of Natal, Durban.




Not my favourite … but I wasn’t going to turn down the dessert and I do enjoy Cape Gooseberries, with or without their chocolate bottoms (see petit fours) …


To go with our drunken elephant drink dessert we had the Boschendal Vin D’Or … this was positively delicious … look at the colour …




Cue in clues:  Naturally sweet with a lovely concentration of pineapple, green apple and raw honey flavour with an undertone of vanilla spice. *****++++!!


Another note … on Noble Rot wine … some of the most famous dessert wines are made from grapes mouldy with Botrytis cinerea, which sucks water out of the grape whilst imparting flavours of honey and apricot to the future wine. 


Mouldy Reisling Grapes
The Hungarians are thought to have inadvertently discovered this type of wine … they had mouldy grapes, but they were vinified anyway and then found to be rather good … Noble Rot sets in!


Finished off with Colombian coffee and petit fours … no photo of the coffee … just the petit fours … they were good too …


Chocolate truffles with a Cape
Gooseberry dipped in dark
chocolate  (we also call them Physalis)
So there you have it … an excellent and interesting lunch, and we shared our table with some fun guests … so we talked, laughed, learnt and had a wee tipple or two – and oh yes some South African style cuisine - before wending our way home on another brilliant English Indian Summer’s Day.


Langham's
Bathing Hut
Our next one - promoting Brazilian food and wines … should be interesting …


Now are you hungry?!  The South African Pudding and Wine Club Luncheon was particularly good … with lots of South African memories …


Hilary Melton-Butcher
Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

57 comments:

D.G. Hudson said...

Sounds lovely and I'd love a day like that. I know nothing about South African wines, but I do like French wines.

We in British Columbia are having unprecedented warm temps too, Hilary, must be either global warming or warmer ocean currents. Not our usual rainfall but beautiful sunny days.

Mason Canyon said...

Sounds like an absolute wonderful outing. I don't know anything about wine, but I do enjoy trying the different types. The Boschendal Vin D’Or sounded and looked delicious. Looking forward to more posts like this, though now I'm a bit hungry and thirsty. :)

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Can't pass up a meal like that!
I've never had antelope before. Tastes like chicken?
I imagine drunk elephants can cause a lot of damage...

Morgan said...

Each of your posts have such a different flavor, Hilary! It's so fun… with the topics and cultures and foods and colors… your blog really could be published and be a fascinating book!

Lisa said...

Hi Hillary, wow fast moving but filled with good taste and culture. I had also just posted a recipe on fish with tomatoes.

I have private my blog and move home to Tumblr. The address is on my profile, the comment system is Disqus, which you may not like it. You have to click on the date at the bottom of the individual post to get to the post to comment. And you have probably forgotten who I am.

Michelle Wallace said...

Loved your post, Hilary!
There's another liqueur that is similar to Amarula, called Cape Velvet. They taste similar. Cape Velvet is the original South African produced wine-based cream aperitif.
Cape Velvet comes in three different flavours: Cape Velvet Original, Cape Velvet Strawberry and Cape Velvet English Toffee.
The taste is smooth, creamy and sweet.
Isn't Baileys the English equivalent to Cape Velvet and Amarula?
Something interesting: the marula tree is a revered plant in Southern Africa.(Some studies show that the cutting down of marula trees is an indicator of the degree of distress that a community is suffering – they are usually the last trees to be cut down for firewood)

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

@ DG - well having not done a lot for the last 6 or 7 years ... these sorts of outings are real treats.

Are you having unprecedented warm temperatures ... a cousin of my mother's is coming over in three weeks from VI ... so I'll catch her news then. The weather here has been really brilliant ..

@ Mason - it was a great lunch out session!! I don't know much about wine .. but I did enjoy these good quality wine .. and the Boschendal Vin D'or was quite delicious!

@ Alex - well us two tried and tested lovers of South Africa indulged!

Antelope .. not it's gamier than chicken ... but very good ...

Drunk elephants - yes some damage and they get hangovers!

@ Morgan - that's what I try and create .. just glad it's fun ... and that you can learn something along the way .. I aim to amuse ...

@ Lisa - I have to say I have forgotten where I met you - but your fish recipe was good .. and I found out how to comment! Perhaps you'll remind me where we tied in originally ... ?!

@ Michelle - had to come over and say .. yes I remember Cape Velvet - not my favourite either ... but I know many who did ... and yes Baileys is our 'equivalent' ...

I didn't know that about the marula tree ... what a great bit of extra information .. and that the tree is revered til the last if possible, to save the community .. fascinating - thanks ..

@ Karen - it's a place you should visit!!??

Cheers and thanks for thumbs up for future similar posts ... Hilary

Paula said...

Boschendal Sparkling Brut” : your description makes my mouth water for a glass. I loved, loved, loved this post. So wonderfully descriptive!

H. R. Sinclair said...

That sounds absolutely marvelous and like a whole lot of fun. - Gads, I would not want to be around a drunk elephant.

Terra said...

What a fabulous luncheon, and I love pairings of food with wine.

Janie Junebug said...

I know nothing about wine except that I like to drink it sometimes. The luncheon sounds luscious, and you describe it so well. When The Hurricane went to Cambridge she said they drank a great deal of wine with each course at the formal dinners, and then they had port and claret for the toasts. To the Queen! But since she was in Churchill the big toast was To Sir Winston!

Love,
Janie

Chatty Crone said...

Well I have to say it sounds like you had a nice time. I have to admit - as usual - you are way more knowledgeable then I am - and about wine too! Interesting though.

Rosaria Williams said...

Oh yummmmmmm....
Thanks for such mouthwatering descriptions.

J E Oneil said...

Over here it's been cloudy and rather cool at nights. Maybe our weather got mixed up :).

I've never had antelope before. I have to admit, it's not on my list of things to try.

Sue McPeak said...

How exotic the food and wine look and sound. I think I would have gone straight to the dessert of Chocolate Truffles and Cape Gooseberry along with the Colombian coffee. Very interesting and mouth watering post.
Sue at CollectInTexas Gal

Tara Tyler said...

oh my, love! you need to host a show on the food network or the travel channel! love the tidbits and details to enhance the experience and yummy delights! seriously!

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

@ Paula - drink and food were very good - descriptions not bad either! Glad it took you away to new realms for a brief while ..

@ Holly - it was a lovely day .. lots of sun, good company, delicious food and wine ... drunken elephants I imagine would be really sore-headed for a while ...

@ Terra - you're so right a fabulous luncheon with all the right trimmings ..

@ Janie - The Hurricane has been very lucky to experience Cambridge and they have very good cellars .. while the formal dinners are an event unto themselves .. the Queen and to Churchill both - that makes sense .. lucky girl ..

@ Sandy - thanks so much .. as long as the post entertains and gives everyone fun reading: that's the main thing for me .. but the wine was good!

@ Rosaria .. it was yummeeeee .. glad you enjoyed the descriptive slants ..

@ Jeanne - well I'm happy to have your weather for a while .. it is just glorious at the moment! I enjoy game meat .. and I enjoy food - so always happy to try new things .. though I'd had Springbok when I lived in South Africa ...

@ Sue - it was great fun and we had food we were not expecting, which made it all the more interesting. The chocolate truffles and cape gooseberry were very good - but it was a hot day .. and some refreshing wine was lovely ... delighted you enjoyed the post ..

@ Tara - it's fun detailing what goes on and what goes into food etc ..and then adding that bit of history .. thanks for the thought about tv or travel ... it's a thought, but probably one too far ..

Cheers to you all - delighted you could share my South African lunch with me .. Hilary

Anonymous said...

Oh I'm so hungry now and I've only just had breakfast, the pudding and wine club sounds fantastic.

Gattina said...

You made me hungry indeed ! How wonderful that Eastbourne has an Indian Summer, I wished I could be there now and enjoy a meal at the seafront !

Juliet said...

Food is so full of memories, isn't it? I like the sound of the yellow rice and coconut cream on fish.

Murees Dupè said...

I am so glad you had a wonderful time. I love Amarula and it tastes great in desserts. Hope you have lots more fun in the week to come.

Patsy said...

I've never (yet) been to South Africa but I have drunk the wine and that AAmarula cream. (It's odd)

Patsy said...

I've never (yet) been to South Africa but I have drunk the wine and that AAmarula cream. (It's odd)

Anonymous said...

So very interesting, Hilary. Though I am a veggie and the thought of eating a springbok isn't something I would want to do. As always your posting was a great read. Thank you for sharing.

Jo said...

Right up my street Hilary and I was very envious of the whole thing with one exception. We tried pinotage once, on the recommendation of a friend from SSA, but neither of us enjoyed it. Maybe we should try it again. Don't get many South African wines here though.

The food sounded excellent. I would love to have tried Springbok and all the other delicious things you ate.

Vallypee said...

Just wonderful, Hilary! I loved the SA flavour to the food, and you bring your own knowledge of the country to it as well. A wonderful lunch and a great write-up!

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

@ Rosie - sorry about writing this up just in time for the early part of your day - the club does sound fun doesn't it .. and this day was!

@ Gattina - the seafront is gorgeous in this beautiful weather .. and you know Eastbourne well ..

@ Juliet - you're right memories do come flooding back - the fish dish was very good .. with the coconut cream being so tasty ..

@ Murees - it was a lovely lunch and time .. I'm glad you like Amarula .. I know many who enjoy those creamy based drinks ... and I learnt about the elephant foundation ..

@ Patsy - I think that should be on the list ..but not via a camper van! Yes, I agree with you re the Amarula cream being 'odd'!

@ Paula - thanks for coming by and I'm glad you enjoyed the post ... I'd like to be veggie, yet I enjoy my food too much!

@ Jo - yes I thought you'd enjoy the information and ideas here .. I guess wine is a matter of taste - and this was hotel quality wine: it was particularly tasty and I've almost stopped drinking red wine.

The food was really good .. considering they're catering for quite large numbers .. there were about 60 of us ..

@ Val - with your SA connections you'd have been able to visualise where we were ... so I'm glad I realised your SA senses back for you ..

Cheers to you all .. our Indian Summer continues on -it's amazing and such a pleasure to be up and around on days like today - sun blazing down at sunrise! Hilary

Marja said...

Oh the food looks delicious. My husband is a wine lover I will ask him about SA wine. There are many people from SA here and I can only understand a bit when they speak very slow. Bosch is old dutch and these days written as bos

mail4rosey said...

Well now I want to try a Gooseberry.

I like retirement towns, there's always fun shows and things to do, actually. Or at least that was true with the ones I am familiar with in Florida.

Sherry Ellis said...

Sounds like a lovely meal! I've heard that South African wines are quite good.

Crystal Collier said...

I love it when the summer lasts extra long. Maybe that's why we live in Florida... And yes, good job. You made a pregnant woman hungry. ;)

loverofwords said...

Isn't it wonderful to have those perfect days? Having a special lunch on an Indian Summer Day, something to remember in the coming months when the weather is not so good. "Grumbling tummies" this is the second time I have heard that expression. The first was in IKEA, at their store in an ad for kids food. I thought it was so sweet at the time and a way for IKEA to sound American. Now I know that it is a European expression :)

Betsy Brock said...

I have never heard of springbok! The plate looks delicious!

This is going to be a fun series!

Julia Hones said...

You are making everyone hungry here with those enticing pictures, Hilary!
I may have a sip of that wine from Hungary. Or perhaps some of those delicious grapes...

Manzanita said...

Hilary
I know nothing about wine and grapes and was surprised that they can be productive for up to 60 years. I've never really had a taste for spirits, although I grow some grapes that will with stand the beastly low temps found here. I can relate to your word picture of Indian summer and I'm hoping we get one late this year because when it ends it usually means cold weather.

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

@ Marja - Afrikaans helped me speak Dutch or German words because I could get my tongue round the way they sound .. but I cannot speak it ... but knowing even a little helps .. I expect you find the same in NZ ...

The Boschendal estate is stunningly beautiful .. both the Bos and the Dal!!

@ Rosey - the Cape Gooseberries are really delicious .. and very refreshing ..

Eastbourne isn't strictly a retirement town .. it was a coastal resort in the 1800s, but even Royal coastal resorts need industry and just grew naturally. Though we have a great deal of sun here ..

@ Sherry - you tick the right boxes!

@ Crystal - even a pregnant woman hungry .. that's good to know! Can't be too rich then .. and I imagine Florida has a wonderful climate ...

@ Nat - it was a really good day ... and we'd been looking forward to it for ages - and if Manzanita's words turn out to be right .. we're in for a cold winter - I, for one, hope not!

'Grumbling tummies' is a phrase we used as kids, and still do at appropriate times. Interesting it's been used in an ad for Ikea .. I don't go to their stores here often - too far away! Which is probably a good thing.

@ Betsy - Springbok is one the national emblems of South Africa .. and the animals roam around happily in an environment that suits them.

It's going to be an occasional series ..

@ Julia - sorry about the hunger pains - we've been waiting a few months for this lunch to come around!

The dessert wine was extremely good .. while table grapes are always delicious to snack on ..

@ Manzanita - the time frame for a vine was interesting to find out about .. - so perhaps with your vines by leaving the grapes on .. you might get Noble Rot, or have ice grapes ... which give another type of wine to drink ..

No - I don't want a cold winter after our lovely Indian summer .. but it will be interesting to see what happens to the weather ..

Cheers to you all .. so pleased you're enjoying this series .. Hilary

Unknown said...

oh Hilary! What a perfect description of your day, the wines, the food....my mouth is watering! I jotted down a couple of the wines to see if my favorite "upscale" market might have them. I think having this bit of history they would make such nice Christmas gifts for my foodie friends. Loved this - perfect way to start my Sunday!

Dianne K. Salerni said...

Springbok loin and the favorite drink of intoxicated elephants? Sounds like a pretty unique lunch!

Unknown said...

Sounds like you're having a grand old time Hilary! I look forward to this new segment - esp if all the descriptions will be as mouthwatering as these!! Butter fish with coconut cream and yellow rice? YES PLEASE!

Denise Covey said...

Hi Hilary. You are an inspiration to all those who said on my blog that they struggled to find interesting things to blog about. Well, believe me, this is one of the most interesting posts I've read for awhile. I had to stop myself from licking the screen like i do when I visit Jo's blog. My tongue is salivating for a glass of wine--South African wines are some of the best in the world. I can't go on about everything you wrote or my comment will be as long as your post, but I'm going to try my hand at those Chocolate Truffles with a Cape Gooseberry dipped in dark chocolate! Hold me back. Physalis...hmmm....

Thanks Hilary.

Denisse

Stephen Tremp said...

Hilary, although I'm glad I stopped by to say hello, I'm fasting today for a colonoscopy tomorrow. SO all these pics of food and wine are only making matters worse. But no worries. It'll all be over by 9:00 am tomorrow morning.

Trisha said...

Oh man, I reaaally want to eat a delicious meal like the one you had, too! I look forward to more of your food series. :)

Bossy Betty said...

Wow! Take it as a compliment that I want to take a good nap after this wonderful culinary adventure.

Friko said...

I shall be on the next train to Eastbourne, old people’s town or not!

If only I could, I love such food and wine events.

Ludlow has many and we’ve just had our annual food festival, which is among the five best in the world, would you believe.

Hilary, I seem to have deleted a whole ruck of emails, among them one of yours about a trip? Unread, unfortunately. (If I delete emails on my phone they disappear from computer and ipad as well, something I didn’t know) So if you wrote to me and hear nothing that’s the reason. You could repeat the email if it needs a reply?

cleemckenzie said...

I wouldn't know where to start with all of these fabulous food and wine selections. I definitely wouldn't miss that Pudding and Wine Club Luncheon. And that coconut cream with yellow rice has my mouth watering.

I'd love to be in England for your Indian Summer. Every time I visit your country, it rains on me. :-)

~Sia McKye~ said...

Hilary, I'll take that Colombian coffee and petit fours, or wait, maybe the Physalis...never mind, I'll take both lol!

Out of curiosity, after imbibing all that wine who was the designated driver or guide to walk you back to your rooms?

Fun article. I enjoy good food and good wine!

Sia McKye Over Coffee

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

@ Lisa - good luck with looking for the wines - Boschendal wines are very good ... and how lucky to be a friend of yours - I think I might be over for a Christmas prezzie!! Delighted you had a happy start to your day ...

@ Dianne - it is lovely trying new foods .. thankfully there wasn't an intoxicated elephant 'floating' around ... and it sure was unique ...

@ Lena - it absolutely was a delicious meal and looks like this segment will become a regular ... the butter fish was very very good ..

@ Denise - thanks so much .. as you know I try and make my posts interesting - maybe I don't post that often .. but I just try and give good content - with interesting additional snippets ...

South African wines are very good ... well I'd love to have your long comment! ... but the chocolate truffles were good - not sure about the hot country ... even on our Indian Summer day ... they were melting quickly ... but the Physalis dipped in chocolate are such a good stand-by as a desert/extra ...

@ Stephen - I'm glad I had a chance to clarify the reason for your fast - to find out it was precautionary every three years ... sorry about the pics - but you know me ... and I do love my food!!

@ Trisha - that's great to know .. especially if I'm tempting friends from down under .. there will be more!

@ Betty - I shall take the compliment for whatever reason .. and I sure hope you dreamt of my food!!

@ Friko - welcome to Eastbourne! I know we'd have some good times ... but I'd love to attend Ludlow - I realise it's special and is renowned the world over ...

I emailed you back .. with extra chatty notes ... it doesn't need a reply!

@ Lee - it's not raining now .. we are still in our Indian summer ... fly over? It looks I'm hooked into the Pudding and Wine Club ... and the coconut cream with yellow rice was extremely good ...

Sometime I hope you can visit when it's not raining - not that that's easy to chooose!

@ Sia - another blogger going for the coffee and petit fours .. and perhaps the Physalis - you won't regret that choice!

One of us lives about 8 miles down the coast .. so she went on the bus .. and I got a taxi home ...

Delighted you enjoyed the article .. thanks - as you can see I enjoy both good food and good wine too ...

Thanks so much everyone - looks like this series will be a hit .. cheers to one and all .. Hilary

Empty Nest Insider said...

What an exquisite luncheon feast! I especially enjoyed your tidbit about the drunken elephants! Whenever I see a bottle of Baileys I'll be reminded of your wonderful story!

Julie

Robyn Campbell said...

I love the drunken elephants. I'd love to taste Amarula. It sounds delicious. Those cool elephants. :-) Love the springbok. They can jump. WOW. But I couldn't eat it. The butter fish with coconut cream and yellow rice made me hungry. It sounds wonderful. And that tart. Mouth watering. Great post, Hil. xoxo

Theresa Milstein said...

I must confess that I know next to nothing about S African wine and cuisine. I've seen South African wine in stores. After reading your descriptions, I'm going to try one the next time I go shopping. I don't think we have any South African restaurants nearby, so I may need to look up a few recipes.

Susan Flett Swiderski said...

What a wonderful lunch. I don't know if I've ever had any South African wines, but I've definitely had amarula. Friends from S. Africa brought us a bottle, and now we can even buy it at our local package goods store. It's nice to sip on when it's well-chilled.

If you do a Youtube search on "Animals are People, Too," you should find a clip from that movie showing elephants... and other animals... inebriated on amarula. FUNNY!!!

Kelly Steel said...

Sounds like such a wonderful outing...would love to try all those wines and food!

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

@ Julie - it was a lovely lunch .. and the thought of elephants being drunk is a little much isn't it ..

@ Robyn - poor elephants with a headache ... but many think Amarula is delicious ... served with a few icecubes on a sunny afternoon ...

The Springbok can jump .. and they show off by 'pronking' = prancing and jumping around. The meat is delicious ... but understand if you don't want to try it ..

The butterfish seems to be the star of this post ... and I love fish .. so I was very happy with the menu and flavours ..

@ Theresa - it's interesting you mention South African restaurants ... I'm not sure I know where one is here - we can get some of the foods and certainly we see some of the signature dishes on menus ...

I hope you enjoy the wine and perhaps try a recipe or two ... it's very similar to cosmopolitan foods we find from different countries ...

@ Susan - I'm glad you've tried Amarula and let us know that you can buy it in the States ... a glass of something delicious with ice or just chilled .. is always good on a warm day ...

Thanks so much for the link across to the YouTube video of the drunken elephants .. I will definitely look and perhaps post up ... and I expect it is very funny ...

@ Kelly - we had a very good lunch and thoroughly enjoyed our remembrances of South Africa ..

Cheers to you all - I'm off to look for Susan's drunken elephant video .. Hilary

Sara said...

WARNING: Never read a Hilary food post if you're hungry.

By the time I finished this one, my mouth was watering and wanting FOOD. It was too early for wine, but you definitely got me thinking about that as well, especially the Franschoek Pinotage. I loved the "Cue in the Clues" description of this one:~)

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Sara .. thank you!! I thought you might enjoy this post ... and I was pleased with my "Cue in the Clues" idea - I think I'll stick to that in future posts ...

I wonder what JC made of it?!

Cheers - time for a glass of vino now? Hilary

Sai Charan said...

Brilliant post, interesting description of South African food & wine; cuisine and culture!!

Thank you Hilary for taking your readers through a journey - good to know all about the history behind those flavours!! Sure you enjoyed the Pudding and Wine Club Luncheon :)

Cheers,
Charan :)

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Charan - appreciate your comment - and my thoughts on South African food and wine .. it was a good lunch!

Cheers Hilary